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All information about bin Laden should be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning 2006 book, The Looming Tower 1, scoffs at previous reports -- apparently well-regarded by the CIA -- that bin Laden has Marfan syndrome or kidney disease.

Vital Statistics

• Bin Laden was born on March 10, 1957 2a.

General Appearance       [How tall is Osama bin Laden?]

• A journalist who met bin Laden in the 1990s described him as 6 feet 4 inches in height and "lithe and muscular" 3.
• His beard has been streaked with white since around January 2000 (at least), when he was described as "visibly aged" 2b. He dyes his beard 1a.

Cardiovascular and General Health

• A slim biography, published in Egypt in 1991 reported that about 1987 bin Laden had health problems that:

  forced him to lie down intermittently for hours at a time. He suffered from low blood pressure, which was treated by an Egyptian doctor from Peshawar, and diabetes, for which he received insulin shots. 2c

Comment: Being "forced to lie down" could be a result of hypotension, autonomic dysfunction, or some other cause of weakness. It could also be a sign of pathological sleepiness (see below). Autonomic dysfunction can be a complication of diabetes.

• "The CIA has determined that bin Laden has an enlarged heart and chronically low blood pressure" 4.

• On Dec. 8, 1998, NBC News reported that bin Laden had only "months to live," explaining that he was suffering from heart problems and possibly cancer 2d. Oops.

Mental State (i.e. Psychiatric)

• "At one point, medical analysts thought bin Laden was a 'bit of a hypochondriac,' said one former official, noting that the United States had heard of his constant health complaints. That profile, said one of the officials, was developed with the aid of defectors from al-Qaida [sic] as well as foreign intelligence services, bin Laden family members and U.S. technical intelligence." 4
• Of his experience fighting the Soviets, bin Laden has said:

  Once I was only thirty meters from the Russians and they were trying to capture me. I was under bombardment, but I was so peaceful in my heart that I fell asleep. 2e

  Comment: This may be related to the condition that "forces him to lie down" (see above). If not due to disease, sleeping in such conditions is even more startling than Gordon Cooper's famous nap-before-liftoff.

Wounds

• Age 16 or 17: Amazingly, unhurt after driving his Chrysler into a culvert, destroying it. 1b
• "Based on an analysis of the breathing and speaking patterns Osama bin Laden exhibited in a videotape released in December [2001], Western intelligence officers believe he had suffered a severe chest wound but survived a U.S. air and ground assault in eastern Afghanistan" 5.
• Bin Laden is missing two toes "from a war wound suffered in Afghanistan fighting the Soviet Union" 4. A short 1991 Egyptian biography of bin Laden shows a picture of him tending a wound in his foot about 1987 2c.
• Several video segments show bin Laden walking with the aid of a stick 3, but the reason for this is unclear.
• A short 1991 Egyptian biography of bin Laden shows a picture of him getting a shot after being exposed to "poisonous gas" about 1987 2c. Dr. Zebra supposes this occurred while fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan.

Diabetes       [Does Osama bin Laden have diabetes?]

• A slim biography, published in Egypt in 1991 reported that about 1987 bin Laden had diabetes, for which he received insulin shots 2c.
• According to Time Magazine (July 1, 2002) "physicians who analyzed photos of bin Laden determined that he probably suffers from secondary osteoporosis, which is often related to diabetes and kidney trouble" 6.

Kidney (i.e. Renal)       [Does Osama bin Laden need dialysis?]

• There have been reports that bin Laden requires dialysis because of kidney disease 7.

• CIA thought thought possibility of kidney disease was credible 1c.
• The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that bin Laden does not need dialysis, but does suffer from kidney stones 4.
• A journalist who visited bin Laden's camp in the 1990s reported camp members saying that bin Laden had a kidney problem requiring him to drink large amounts of water. The journalist witnessed bin Laden constantly sipping water and green tea in the time they spent together 3.
• On July 1, 2002, Time Magazine "reported that physicians who analyzed photos of bin Laden determined that he probably suffers from secondary osteoporosis, which is often related to diabetes and kidney trouble" 6.
• Comment: Renal failure can be a complication of diabetes (which he may or may not have -- see above). Interestingly, occasional persons may have their diabetes improve after renal failure occurs, because insulin is retained longer in the body when kidney function is impaired.

Marfan Syndrome / Bones       [Does Osama bin Laden have Marfan syndrome?]

• "Just over six feet tall -- not the giant that he was later made out to be" 1d.

• [During Sudan years:] "He was not tall, but he was handsome." -- Issam Eldin al-Turabi 1e
• CIA thought bin Laden was 6 feet 5 inches tall 1c.
• Bin Laden is said to be 6 feet 4 inches tall, as noted above.
• There is an often-repeated statement, not "supported by firm evidence," that bin Laden has Marfan syndrome, e.g. 8.

[Persons with Marfan syndrome are classically tall and thin. They are generally not muscular, but there are exceptions, e.g. the occasional college basketball player that proves to have the condition.]

• On July 1, 2002, Time Magazine "reported that physicians who analyzed photos of bin Laden determined that he probably suffers from secondary osteoporosis, which is often related to diabetes and kidney trouble" 6.

Family History       [All references in curly braces are page numbers from The Looming Tower 1.]

• Father: "brilliant with figures, which he could effortlessly calculate in his head, and he never forgot a measurement" {74}.
• Children: Seventeen by 1992 {187}.
• Note: A man whose eldest son is named X becomes known as "Abu X." A woman whose oldest son is named X becomes known as "Umm X." {92}
• Wives and their children:
  • Wife #1 = Najwa Ghanem, 1974, age 14. Unusually tall. "Quite beautiful." {90} "Umm Abdullah" {92}. Jealous {287}. Left around 2001 {382}.
    • 11 children {92} {382}
    • #1 = Abdullah, born 1978 {92}, whereupon bin Laden becomes "Abu Abdullah" {92}. Suffers from asthma since childhood {219}.
    • Second son, Abdul Rahman, was born with hydrocephalus. OBL took the baby to the UK for treatment, but declined to have shunt placed. Instead, he returned to Saudi Arabia and treated the condition with honey (a folk remedy). The boy ultimately became mildly retarded. {92-93} {221}
    • Oldest daughter, Fatima, born 1983. "... fun, but a little slow." {285}.
  • Wife #2 = Umm Hamza, from Sabar family in Jeddah {94}. Seven years older than OBL {286}. Frequent miscarriages. Weak eyes. Frail {286}.
  • One child {286}, a son {94} {286}. Son is named Hamza. 12 years old circa 2001. Long black eyelashes, his father's thin face {377}
  • Wife #3 = Umm Khaled {285}
  • daughter Khadija, born 1986 {285}. "Very very bright" {286}
  • Wife #4 = Umm Ali {94}. Asks for divorce 1994 {221}.
  • Wife #5 = Amal al-Sada, circa 2001, age 15, a Yemeni {382}

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1. Wright, Lawrence. The Looming Tower. New York: Vintage, 2006.

   a  p.377  b  p.89  c  p.301  d  p.95  e  p.189

2. Bergen, Peter L. Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden. New York: Free Press, 2001.

   a  p.44  b  p.185  c  p.57  d  p.32  e  pp.122-123

3. Frontline television show. Meeting Osama bin Laden. Public Broadcasting Service. KCSM-TV. 5 April 2005.
4. Robert Windrem. CIA is looking for a few good doctors. NBC News, Dec. 29, 2004.

   Comment: At: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6765861/

5. Susan Schmidt and Douglas Farah. Al Qaeda's New Leaders. Washington Post. October 29, 2002; Page A01.
6. Anonymous. Bin Laden Alive as of Late December Report. Reuters; Sun Jun 30, 2002; 2:11 PM ET.
7. Rohan Gunaratna. [interview]. Charlie Rose television show. KQED-TV. July 14, 2004.
8. Barton Gellman and Thomas E. Ricks. U.S. Concludes Bin Laden Escaped at Tora Bora Fight. Washington Post. April 17, 2002; Page A01.